Batkid, Christian Bale, George Clooney & More of the Best Batmen

Before there was Ben Affleck, there was...well everyone else. The Batman mask has been worn by many faces over the years. Each actor has brought their own take to the superhero, some have faded into obscurity, and other will never be known as anything else. We've ranked the nine best Batmans for your enjoyment.

9. Matt Crowley

Way back before television Crowley starred as Batman on the radio. His voice was the one families tuned into as they gathered around the radio for some evening entertainment.

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8. Olan Soule

This animated TV Batman came around in the golden age of cartoons like Scooby-Doo (Can't you tell by the music in the background of this video?)

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7. Val Kilmer

Who can forget the Batman with nipples?

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6. Kevin Conroy

Also an animated Batman, Conroy brought to Batman the gravelly voice we all know and are both afraid of and turned on by. (At least when Christian Bale does it. But without Conway, Bale would never have tried it.)

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5. George Clooney

Though Clooney dissed his role saying, "With hindsight, it's easy to look back at this and go, 'Woah, that was really s**t, and I was really bad in it!" It's hard not to love his rendition because, well, it's George Clooney.

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4. Michael Keaton

This could have been a casting decision gone terribly wrong. In fact, many fans threated to boycott the new Batman if Keaton was the lead. In the end, people loved him, and he'll forever hold a bat-shaped place in many fans' hearts.

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3. Adam West

You just have to love the 60s rendition of Batman. This show's obvious campiness make the series incredibly entertaining, even all these years later. Behold the best of West:

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Also, just for kicks here's a compilation of Robin's "Holy [insert anything here!]

In celebration of being in remission from leukemia, the Make-A-Wish Foundation helped 5-year-old Miles live out his dream of being his favorite superhero and reclaim part of his childhood that he lost due to fighting his disease. You can't help but tear up when you hear the story.